"Halt," Jasmine ordered as they reached the city gate. She rode to the front and asked, "Where'd you get this from?" She was looking at Tony. It was the prism.
"It's my possession," Tony stammered.
"Yeah, everything is clear. You're a bandit," a pleasant, soft voice said. That was Jasmine.
Thoughts and plans were running through Gabby's mind. She'd be hanged for this. If she hadn't run, she would have spent a couple of days in a cell.
"No, I'm not a bandit," Tony shot back at Jasmine. He didn't know Jasmine was one of the two.
"Shut up," a soldier snapped.
Tony, sensitive, replied in a low tone, "I won't shut up."
Jasmine turned, stared at him, and thought to herself, Poor him. He's still acting tough. He forgot that he's tied up. No surrender.
Tony glanced at her. What's she looking at? he wondered. It doesn't matter.
Muller had already seen the prism, the Codex, and the clock. The prism was the most fascinating of them all.
Gabby was quiet. She didn't know what they were. She just looked on as they entered through the city gate.
All the natives were surprised when they saw Gabby. They had longed to know the truth. They clapped and praised Jasmine and Muller—they had brought in a runaway culprit.
That's right—an escapee.
---
But then—they recognized Tony.
"That's the guy who got beaten the other day!" a woman from the crowd shouted, her voice cutting through the murmur.
"Yeah, yeah, that's him!" others chimed in, eyes narrowing with suspicion and curiosity.
Jasmine had just arrived, cool and composed, and quietly requested a meal with Muller.
Meanwhile, Gabby and Tony were locked away in a small, dim room. Time dragged until they were finally summoned.
The council chamber was filled with tension as the doors opened. The counselor sat high on his throne, flanked by Galley, Muller, Commander Verde, and two stern-faced generals.
Their heads still covered, Gabby and Tony were brought forward, the weight of their fate hanging heavy in the air.
The counselor's voice echoed coldly through the hall:
"From the legislative council of Bracadis, Abergdon—this young woman, Gabby, an escapee by law, is hereby sentenced to hang in the early dawn two days from now."
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
Yamin leaned forward, eyes sharp. "Who is that guy? Can I see him?"
The guard slowly removed the knolif from Tony's head—and gasps filled the chamber.
It was Tony.
Yamin stared, disbelief written across her face. "This guy… he's in serious trouble."
"Yeah, I knew it," Yamin muttered. "He would be a troublemaker."
"Why? How do you know him?" Jasmine asked, her tone cautious.
"I'll tell you later," Galley said, stepping forward, his voice edged with impatience.
Galley raised a hand. "Explain this—how did these two come into contact?"
Jasmine stepped up, her eyes steady as she spoke:
"They looked like bandits, hiding under creeping leaves, trying to stay hidden. But we found them."
The room fell silent, the weight of accusation settling over them both like a noose tightening.
---
"What's the punishment, then?" someone murmured as all eyes turned toward the counselor.
Tony stood tall, hiding the storm inside. He was terrified—not for himself, but for being the reason Gabby might be hanged in two days.
"No bandit walks around with a rare diamond like this," Muller interrupted, holding the gem up for everyone to see. The room fell into a tense silence.
He continued, voice sharp, "And he also had rare objects—this book… and the clock." He glanced around the chamber. "He probably stole them on his way here."
Tony stepped forward, his voice firm.
"I told you this before—with you and Z-12," he said, pointing at Yamin. "He gave them to me. I didn't steal anything."
Jasmine's eyes narrowed. "Who did, then?" she asked.
Tony turned his gaze on her.
"Wait… You're one of the two."
She raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"
Tony stared hard, realization dawning in his eyes.
"Because I think I found you."